Pest management in a rental you own

Cockroaches, mice, rats and bed bugs can be hard to manage in rental housing, and they can spread disease and trigger asthma and allergies. Integrated pest management, or IPM, differs from routine spraying. It takes away the places pests nest and their sources of food and water, and keeps them out of the building. It also avoids wasting money on treatments and repairs for infestations that could have been prevented. In a rental, it takes the owner, any maintenance help, the pest professional and the tenants working together.

Watch for signs

Look for droppings, gnaw marks, insect waste and gnawed wires whenever you or a tradesperson is in the property. Electricians see crawlspaces and drop ceilings that others don't, and plumbers spot the leaks, condensation and standing water that bring pests. Ask anyone who works on the rental to tell you what they see.

Keep pests out

• Fix openings fast. Repair broken windows, screens, vent covers and holes in exterior walls. A mouse can fit through a hole the diameter of a dime.
• Close the gap under doors. Fit a door sweep, or build up the threshold, so the gap is less than 1/4 inch.
• Screen vents. Cover fan and vent openings with galvanized mesh with openings of 1/4 inch or smaller.
• Seal around pipes and wires. Plug gaps where pipes, ducts, wires and conduits pass through walls, floors, ceilings and the backs of cabinets. Copper mesh, steel wool and cement hold up best in openings of 1/4 inch or more, since rodents gnaw through softer materials.

Take away water

• Fix leaking pipes, faucets and slow drains as soon as possible. A bucket left under a slow leak gives rats, mice and cockroaches water.
• Insulate pipes that sweat, since condensation is a significant water source for pests.
• Keep gutters, downspouts and roof drains clear, and replace water-damaged wood.

Manage the trash

• Set trash cans and dumpsters on concrete or asphalt, as far from the building as practical and never within 3 feet of a wall or fence.
• Use cans with tight or self-closing lids, and enough of them that they don't overflow.
• Rinse food residue off recycling, and clean the bins regularly with detergent and hot water.

Work with the tenants and the professional

• Give tenants a way to report. Pests, leaks and mold are easier to fix when tenants report them early.
• Tell tenants before a pest visit. Give notice ahead of time so the unit can be prepared.
• Ask for the visit record. An IPM visit identifies the problem, uses the least toxic treatment, can seal cracks and set traps, and records what was seen and used.
• Use turnover. An empty unit is a good time for a deep clean and a treatment behind walls and cabinets.

For a heavy insect infestation, a vacuum with a HEPA filter removes live cockroaches, egg cases and droppings quickly. Don't sweep or vacuum mouse or rat droppings and nests, since they can carry viruses. Pest control with fewer pesticides covers the same approach in your own home.

An annotated example

What to do next

Walk the outside of the rental looking for holes, gaps and torn screens, and seal the openings around pipes and wires inside. Fix any leak you find on the way.